US4695075A - Air bag device for vehicles - Google Patents

Air bag device for vehicles Download PDF

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Publication number
US4695075A
US4695075A US06/787,909 US78790985A US4695075A US 4695075 A US4695075 A US 4695075A US 78790985 A US78790985 A US 78790985A US 4695075 A US4695075 A US 4695075A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
air bag
circuit
impact
sensing circuit
squib
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
US06/787,909
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English (en)
Inventor
Koichi Kamiji
Toshikazu Ohya
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Honda Motor Co Ltd
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Honda Motor Co Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Honda Motor Co Ltd filed Critical Honda Motor Co Ltd
Assigned to HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, 1-1, MINAMI-AOYAMA 2-CHOME, MINATO-KU, TOKYO, JAPAN, A CORP. OF JAPAN reassignment HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, 1-1, MINAMI-AOYAMA 2-CHOME, MINATO-KU, TOKYO, JAPAN, A CORP. OF JAPAN ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: KAMIJI, KOICHI, OHYA, TOSHIKAZU
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Publication of US4695075A publication Critical patent/US4695075A/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R21/017—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including arrangements for providing electric power to safety arrangements or their actuating means, e.g. to pyrotechnic fuses or electro-mechanic valves
    • B60R21/0173—Diagnostic or recording means therefor
    • B60R21/0176—Diagnostic or recording means therefor for firing circuits using only mechanical switches as collision detecting means, in series with pyrotechnic fuses

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to an air bag device for vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to an air bag device for vehicles of the type in which an air bag is adapted to be inflated with high-pressure gases, by exploding a squib to thereby trigger a high-pressure gas source, when the vehicle is subjected to an impact (deceleration) of a larger magnitude than a predetermined value, such as due to a collision.
  • a collision detecting sensor circuit was constituted with a plurality of collision sensors connected in series to each other and each respectively provided with a resistor connected in parallel thereto.
  • the sensor circuit was adapted to be short-circuited by bringing the collision sensors into closed states thereof when, at a collision of the vehicle, the impact thereon is of a magnitude larger than the predetermined value, whereby a short circuit current was conducted across the squib which was connected in series to the sensor circuit, to explode the squib, so that, with high-pressure gases, the air bag was caused to expand to be inflated.
  • FIG. 2 shows an electrical circuit diagram of a conventional air bag device of such type, which device is designated by reference numeral 100 in FIG. 2.
  • the air bag device 100 included an air bag trigger circuit 105 as a series circuit consisting of an air-bag-oriented fuse 102, a collision sensing circuit 103, and a squib 104, which circuit 105 was connected in series through an ignition switch 107 and a main fuse 120 to a power source 101.
  • the trigger circuit 105 had in parallel therewith a trouble detection circuit 108 connected thereto through a fuse 106.
  • the circuit 108 was adapted to detect for troubles of a pair of collision sensors 110a, 110b (of such a type that is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
  • the trouble detection of the collision sensors 110a, 110b by the detection circuit 108 was performed in dependence on variations in the quantity of an electric current flowing between terminals of respective shunt resistors 113a, 113b provided for the collision sensors 110a, 110b.
  • designated at reference numeral 109 is an electrical equipment circuit as a circuit of electrical equipment such as a wiper motor, including control switches thereof. This circuit 109 was connected in parallel to the air bag trigger circuit 105 as well as to the trouble detection circuit 108.
  • the collision sensors 110a, 110b were normally open, while the shunt resistors 113a, 113b had resistances of such values that, with an electric current running only through them, the squib 104 could not be exploded. Under the condition that the ignition switch 107 is turned on, the current sent to the squib 104 was conducted from the power source 101 through only the resistors 113a, 113b, thus keeping it from exploding.
  • the collision sensors 110a, 110b were concurrently operated in a self short circuit manner to short-circuit the collision sensing circuit 103, sending a short circuit current to the squib 104 to explode same, whereby an air bag (not shown) was expanded to be inflated.
  • the power source consisting of a battery storage was installed beneath the hood of the vehicle while the ignition switch was disposed in the vicinity of a steering wheel.
  • a wiring harness connecting the power source to the ignition switch be necessarily rendered relatively long and provided with all the more connections (eg. 120a, 120b, 107a, 107b of FIG. 2), resulting in an enlarged total resistance of wires from the power source to the air bag trigger circuit, as well as an increased possibility of disconnection.
  • the ignition switch had at the lower potential side thereof an electrical equipment circuit connected thereto in parallel with the air bag trigger circuit, with the possibility that stable current supply to the trigger circuit might be disturbed by occasional voltage drops due to load effects of associated electrical equipment in service.
  • the present invention has been achieved to effectively solve such problems of conventional air bag devices for vehicles.
  • an improvement comprising an air bag trigger circuit substantially directly connected to the power source, wherein the trigger circuit comprises an impact sensing circuit including an impact sensor adapted to close when the vehicle is subjected to an impact of a larger magnitude than a predetermined value, and an air bag inflation squib adapted for expanding to inflate an air bag and connected in series to the sensing circuit, such that when the impact sensor is closed, a short circuit current is conducted across the squib, thereby causing the squib to expand to inflate the air bag.
  • an object of the present invention is to provide an air bag device for vehicles, which is always operable irrespective of the on-off state of an ignition switch, and in which the possibility of disconnection is minimized, thus also minimizing the fear of misfire of an air bag inflation squib.
  • FIG. 1 shows an electric circuit diagram of an air bag device for vehicles according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 shows an electric circuit diagram of a conventional air bag device for vehicles, as described.
  • the air bag device 1 comprises a direct-current power source 1a grounded at the negative side thereof, an impact sensing circuit 3 connected at one terminal 3a thereof through no more than a fuse 2 and thus substantially directly to a positive terminal 1b of the power source 1a, and a squib 4 connected in series to another terminal 3b of the sensing circuit 3, which is grounded thereacross.
  • the impact sensing circuit 3 has positioned between the terminals 3a, 3b a pair of impact sensors 10a, 10b (of such a type that is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
  • a relay switch 12 is connected in series to the resistor 13a, which switch 12 has an on-off contact 11 thereof adapted to be interposed in series between the terminal 3a and the resistor 13a when operated by energizing a later-described actuation part of the switch 12.
  • the impact sensing circuit 3 is adapted to cooperate with the squib 4 to constitute an air bag trigger circuit 5 for expanding to inflate an air bag when a vehicle equipped with the air bag device 1 is caused to experience such a collision that the impact thereof on the vehicle is of a larger magnitude than a predetermined value.
  • the trigger circuit 5 has in parallel therewith a trouble detection circuit 8 connected through an ignition switch 7 and a main fuse 6 to the positive terminal 1b of the power source 1a, which circuit 8 is adapted to detect for troubles of the two impact sensors 10a, 10b in the impact sensing circuit 3 of the circuit 5.
  • an electrical equipment circuit 9 as a circuit of electrical equipment such as a wiper motor and various lights, including control switches thereof.
  • the impact sensors 10a, 10b are both open, thus conducting no currents, under ordinary conditions, while they are adapted to close when subjected to an impact of a larger magnitude than a predetermined value, conducting a trigger current to the squib 4, irrespective of the on-off state of the ignition switch 7.
  • the relay switch 12 has an excitation coil 11a as the actuation part thereof for operating to close the contact 11, the wiring connection at both terminals of which coil 11a is practically made in the trouble detection circuit 8 in such a manner that the the coil 11a is connected in series to the ignition switch 7 and, hence, the on-off action of the relay switch 12 is interlocked or in coincidence with that of the ignition switch 7.
  • the impact sensing circuit 3 as well as the squib 4 has no currents conducted therethrough, provided that the sensors 10a, 10b are not subjected to any impacts larger in magnitude than the predetermined value.
  • the impact sensors 10a, 10b concurrently close, conducting a trigger current across the squib 4, thus expanding to inflate the air bag, regardless of whether the ignition switch 7 as well as the relay switch 12 is turned on or off.
  • the trouble detection circuit 8 is adapted to start, when the ignition switch 7 is closed, functioning to inform the driver, if the current running through the impact sensing circuit 3 is varied in quantity from a below-described ordinary state thereof, of the abnormality of the sensing circuit 3 by way of lighting a trouble indication element (not shown).
  • the excitation coil 11a of the relay switch 12 is energized with a current passing therethrough and hence the contact 11 thereof also is closed.
  • the sensing circuit 3 has no currents conducted therethrough.
  • Such zero-current state may be caused by disconnection at the fuse 2 and/or squib 4.
  • the trouble detection circuit 8 is detecting for defective conditions of the sensing circuit 3 as well as of the entire air bag trigger circuit 5.
  • the detection circuit 8 has a detection line connected to the sensing circuit 3, which line has installed therein a protection resistor 14.
  • the impact sensing circuit 3 includes a plurality of impact sensors, that is, the sensors 10a, 10b, connected in series. Therefore, even when any of them is operating defectively and happens to erroneously close, the entire sensing circuit 3 will not be short-circuited, thus preventing the squib 4 from undesired explosion.
  • the air bag trigger circuit 5 is always rendered operable.
  • the trigger circuit 5 is permitted to function to inflate the air bag as circumstances require, thereby effectively protecting the driver from the impact of such collision.
  • the wiring from the power source 1a to the power source side terminal 3a of the impact sensing circuit 3 can be shortened, thus decreasing the wiring resistance therebetween, while minimizing the fear of disconnection as well.
  • the air bag trigger circuit 5 is kept free from effects of the chattering of the ignition switch 7. Similarly the trigger circuit 5 is unlikely to be affected by the load condition of the electrical equipment as put in service. As a result, a stable current is conducted through the trigger circuit 5.
  • the conduction of electric current through the impact sensing circuit 3 and the squib 4 is permitted only while the ignition switch 7 is closed, by the provision of the relay switch 12 of which the on-off contact 11 is adapted to be operated in a manner following the on-off action of the ignition switch 7.
  • the relay switch 12 is connected, when operated, in series with the shunt resistors 13a, 13b which are connected, for trouble detection of the impact sensors 10a, 10b, in parallel thereto, so that the squib 4 will effectively have a slow rate of deterioration and, more over, the possibility of undesirable discharge of the power source 1a is reduced.
  • the relay switch 12 is disposed at the side of the shunt resistors 13a, 13b, the impact sensors 10a, 10b are favorably kept free from effects of the chattering of the relay switch 12, thus, also minimizing the fear of misfire of the squib 4 at the collision of the vehicle.
  • the number of impact sensors may advantageously be modified to only one or to three or more, as a matter of course.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)
US06/787,909 1984-10-16 1985-10-16 Air bag device for vehicles Expired - Fee Related US4695075A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP59-156221[U] 1984-10-16
JP1984156221U JPH0323892Y2 (ja) 1984-10-16 1984-10-16

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US4695075A true US4695075A (en) 1987-09-22

Family

ID=15623000

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US06/787,909 Expired - Fee Related US4695075A (en) 1984-10-16 1985-10-16 Air bag device for vehicles

Country Status (3)

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US (1) US4695075A (ja)
JP (1) JPH0323892Y2 (ja)
CA (1) CA1259642A (ja)

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3640798A1 (de) * 1985-11-30 1987-07-09 Nippon Denki Home Electronics Ueberwachungsschaltung fuer kontakte
US4851705A (en) * 1988-09-23 1989-07-25 Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc. Firing circuit for a vehicle passenger restraint system
EP0326367A2 (en) * 1988-01-28 1989-08-02 Mazda Motor Corporation Electric connecting device
US4862091A (en) * 1987-07-28 1989-08-29 Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag Circuit arrangement for testing the connecting lines of a switch or sensor
EP0343578A2 (en) * 1988-05-23 1989-11-29 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Releasing circuit for actuating vehicular safety device
US4958851A (en) * 1989-05-01 1990-09-25 Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc. Air bag firing circuit
US4999775A (en) * 1988-05-11 1991-03-12 Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Power apparatus for diagnosing air bag equipment
US5085464A (en) * 1990-11-14 1992-02-04 Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc. Air bag firing circuit
US5112080A (en) * 1989-11-14 1992-05-12 Zexel Corporation Sensor control circuit
WO1992014633A1 (en) * 1991-02-19 1992-09-03 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Single-sensing airbag system with zero power consumption in the 'key-off' stage
US5331211A (en) * 1988-05-23 1994-07-19 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Releasing circuit for actuating vehicular safety device
US5343394A (en) * 1992-04-03 1994-08-30 Airbag Systems Company Ltd. System for controlling safety device for vehicle
US5544914A (en) * 1994-12-27 1996-08-13 Ford Motor Company Air bag disabler control circuit
US5757150A (en) * 1993-08-12 1998-05-26 Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. Electric system of an electric vehicle
US5863065A (en) * 1992-09-04 1999-01-26 Double Eagle Ltd, Inc. Portable passenger air bag
US6043566A (en) * 1997-06-20 2000-03-28 Delco Electronics Corp. Airbag suppression controller with crash state evidence
US20190291582A1 (en) * 2016-12-13 2019-09-26 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Motor Vehicle with an Electric Motor, in Particular a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3874695A (en) * 1972-08-01 1975-04-01 Nissan Motor Vehicle safety device actuation arrangement
US3949357A (en) * 1972-02-09 1976-04-06 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Operation recorder for motor vehicle safety device
JPS55130A (en) * 1978-06-16 1980-01-05 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Juicer
US4384734A (en) * 1980-03-25 1983-05-24 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Passenger protection apparatus

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5447244A (en) * 1977-09-20 1979-04-13 Nippon Denso Co Ltd Trouble detector for air bag appliance

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3949357A (en) * 1972-02-09 1976-04-06 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Operation recorder for motor vehicle safety device
US3874695A (en) * 1972-08-01 1975-04-01 Nissan Motor Vehicle safety device actuation arrangement
JPS55130A (en) * 1978-06-16 1980-01-05 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Juicer
US4384734A (en) * 1980-03-25 1983-05-24 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Passenger protection apparatus

Cited By (26)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3640798C2 (de) * 1985-11-30 1996-03-07 Nippon Denki Home Electronics Überwachungsschaltung für Kontakte
DE3640798A1 (de) * 1985-11-30 1987-07-09 Nippon Denki Home Electronics Ueberwachungsschaltung fuer kontakte
US4862091A (en) * 1987-07-28 1989-08-29 Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag Circuit arrangement for testing the connecting lines of a switch or sensor
EP0326367A3 (en) * 1988-01-28 1991-02-06 Mazda Motor Corporation Electric connecting device
EP0326367A2 (en) * 1988-01-28 1989-08-02 Mazda Motor Corporation Electric connecting device
US4999775A (en) * 1988-05-11 1991-03-12 Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Power apparatus for diagnosing air bag equipment
EP0343578A3 (en) * 1988-05-23 1990-11-07 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Releasing circuit for actuating vehicular safety device
US5331211A (en) * 1988-05-23 1994-07-19 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Releasing circuit for actuating vehicular safety device
EP0343578A2 (en) * 1988-05-23 1989-11-29 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Releasing circuit for actuating vehicular safety device
US4851705A (en) * 1988-09-23 1989-07-25 Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc. Firing circuit for a vehicle passenger restraint system
EP0396265A2 (en) * 1989-05-01 1990-11-07 Automotive Systems Laboratory Inc. Air bag firing circuit
US4958851A (en) * 1989-05-01 1990-09-25 Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc. Air bag firing circuit
EP0396265A3 (en) * 1989-05-01 1991-10-30 Automotive Systems Laboratory Inc. Air bag firing circuit
AU617975B2 (en) * 1989-05-01 1991-12-05 Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc. Air bag firing circuit
US5112080A (en) * 1989-11-14 1992-05-12 Zexel Corporation Sensor control circuit
US5085464A (en) * 1990-11-14 1992-02-04 Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc. Air bag firing circuit
AU641567B2 (en) * 1990-11-14 1993-09-23 Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc. Air bag firing circuit
US5170066A (en) * 1991-02-19 1992-12-08 Siemens Automotive L.P. Single-sensing airbag system with zero power consumption in the "key-off" st
WO1992014633A1 (en) * 1991-02-19 1992-09-03 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Single-sensing airbag system with zero power consumption in the 'key-off' stage
US5343394A (en) * 1992-04-03 1994-08-30 Airbag Systems Company Ltd. System for controlling safety device for vehicle
US5863065A (en) * 1992-09-04 1999-01-26 Double Eagle Ltd, Inc. Portable passenger air bag
US5757150A (en) * 1993-08-12 1998-05-26 Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. Electric system of an electric vehicle
US5544914A (en) * 1994-12-27 1996-08-13 Ford Motor Company Air bag disabler control circuit
US6043566A (en) * 1997-06-20 2000-03-28 Delco Electronics Corp. Airbag suppression controller with crash state evidence
US20190291582A1 (en) * 2016-12-13 2019-09-26 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Motor Vehicle with an Electric Motor, in Particular a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle
US11667199B2 (en) * 2016-12-13 2023-06-06 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Motor vehicle with an electric motor, in particular a hybrid or electric vehicle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA1259642A (en) 1989-09-19
JPS6171556U (ja) 1986-05-15
JPH0323892Y2 (ja) 1991-05-24

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